


If You Ever Enter My Mind (Stay There, You’ll Live)

by PinkRangerToni



Category: Samurai Sentai Shinkenger
Genre: Multi, Takeru loves his retainers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:28:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28320168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PinkRangerToni/pseuds/PinkRangerToni
Summary: The aftermath of a Gedoushu attack leaves Takeru injured, and Ryunosuke feeling at fault.
Relationships: Ikenami Ryuunosuke/Shiba Takeru, Ikenami Ryuunosuke/Shiraishi Mako
Comments: 1
Kudos: 7





	If You Ever Enter My Mind (Stay There, You’ll Live)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [respira_mia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/respira_mia/gifts).



Ryunosuke swung, and swung, and swung at the training dummy with everything he had. 

It was very late at night, and the Shiba House was sleeping. Not him. Not with what was weighing so heavily on his mind. 

During the last Gedoushu attack, he mistakenly left several openings for the monster to attack Takeru, which it did, thankfully the red warrior was able to tough it out and stay standing. 

Although Ryunosuke didn’t know what scared him more. The possibility of life without Takeru had the Gedoushu killed him, or the possibility of having to face his wrath and hear from the man himself that he had disappointed him. 

Mako woke up to use the bathroom and heard his exasperated grunts from the training area, and wondered what was going on. 

————————————————————————

“Ryuu-san,” she began, startling him. “It’s after midnight, what are you doing up so early?”

He bowed. “I’m sorry if I woke you, Mako-chan. I just feel as though my perception and speed could be sharper.”

Mako saw straight through him and decided to hit the nail on the head. “I know this is about Takeru. I don’t like it when we lie to each other, Ryuu-san.”

He sighed, dropping the kendo stick he was holding and sitting down on the ground. 

“I should have been faster. I should have made sure that Tono didn’t get hurt the way he did...I’m lesser for it...I failed...”

Mako stood and walked calmly to his side. “Ryuu...that Gedoushu was too fast for any of us to have been able to catch up, and we were lucky to defeat it when we did. This is not your fault, please stop this!”

“But had I not been faster he wouldn’t have been hit, and he wouldn’t have had to pilot ShinkenOh while he was injured!”

“Ryunosuke! It wasn’t your fault! I know he doesn’t blame you, I swear to you it’s okay!”

The doors to the training grounds opened, the sound of them sliding across the track startling them both...

...and out walked one bandaged Takeru Shiba. 

————————————————————————

Ryunosuke knelt before his lord, shoulders burdened with shame. 

“Lord, I...I’m so sorry for not being able to-“

“Ryunosuke.” Takeru reached out his bandaged arm, his hand resting on the other man’s head. “When I took the four of you on as my retainers, I knew that we would have to protect each other to the best of our abilities. The possibilities of what that monster was capable of did not leave much room for defense. This was nothing that can be attributed to any of my retainers, much less you, Ryunosuke.”

“Lord...”

He silenced him. “I hold the five of you very dear to my heart, and when any of you doubt yourselves, it hurts me. I care about you all very deeply, and I don’t blame you. Please, Ryunosuke, go to sleep.”

The blue samurai was in tears, his comrade in pink resting a comforting hand on his upper back. 

“Don’t you see, Ryuu-san? I told you,” she said, the three of them sharing a chuckle, and a smile. 

“Okay. Thank you, lord.”

“No, Ryunosuke, thank you.”

The three of them went back inside, and Ryunosuke slept comfortably that night.

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas, Mia!
> 
> Title from Chevelle - “Letter From A Thief”


End file.
